Saurabh Bhalerao, is the latest victim of a senseless hate crime.

It was only six months back that three other graduate students, Vijay Sharma and Kapil Kothari to name two were subject to a similar incident.

The Community responds….

On July 2nd, a diverse group of more than 150 people, from all walks of life converged at City Hall in New Bedford, responding to a vicious and brutal assault of a U Mass Dartmouth student Saurabh Bhalerao. The rally headed by various local organizations was organized to protest and express their outrage at this incident.Speakers highlighted the need for greater and stronger support and a more effective response to hate crimes.

The Indian American Forum for Political Education led the protest, supported by members from other local organizations — South Asian Committee of Human rights (SACH),India Medical Association of New England, India Society of Worcester, India Society of Rhode Island, India Museum Heritage Society, India Society of Greater Boston, Indian Students Assoc. of U Mass Dartmouth, Indian Students Association of U Mass Lowell, SANGAM Indian Students Assoc. of MIT,SAHELI Friendship of Indian Women, Golden Club, Center of INDIC Studies U Mass, Dartmouth, CITY YEAR, Anti Defamation League, Rag Mala, Muslim American Society,Asian American Resource Workshop and The Indus Entrepreneurs TIE.

THE INCIDENT

On the night of June 22nd, Saurabh Bhalerao, a U Mass Dartmouth student attempted to deliver a pizza to a New Bedford, apartment. When the door opened, Bhalerao, 24, was dragged into a room where four men first attempted to rob him. Then mistaking Bhalerao for a Muslim, the men began beating him and burning him with cigarettes, and told him to "go back to Iraq." Saurabh Bhalerao pleaded that he was an Indian and a Hindu but to no avail. The University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth graduate student was beaten, burned with cigarettes, gagged and ultimately stabbed and bound with rope, forced into the trunk of his own car and driven by the men to nearby Fairhaven. During the ride, Bhalerao managed to free himself and when the men stopped and opened the trunk, he attacked one of them with a hammer. While attempting to flee, one man stabbed him with a steak knife. Later two girls stopped their car to pick him up and then called the police. Taken to a Rhode Island hospital, he is now recuperating at his Dartmouth home.
Police later arrested Christopher Pereria, Ryan Marsh, and Tyrell Tavares, three of the suspects and a fourth man is now in custody.

“New Bedford will not tolerate crime of any sort “said Rep. Antonio F.D. Cabral addressing the rally. Other leaders included Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz Jr.; Police Chief Arthur J. Kelly III; Rep. John F. Quinn, D-Dartmouth; UMass Dartmouth Vice Chancellor Susan Costa; the Rev. Edward Dufresne of the Inter-Church Council of Greater New Bedford; and Rabbi Raphael Kanter of Tifereth Israel Congregation in New Bedford.

Vanita Shastri and Ravi Sakhuja spoke on behalf of the IAFPE. Both the speakers denounced the act and hoped that aawareness within the community and educating others about the Forum's work will go a long way in galvanizing the community to action.

Rajini Srikanth, Sunaina Maira and Molly Agarwal of SACH ( South Asian Committee of Human rights) were present at the rally. Said Sunaina Maira who visited Saurabh with the others “What was upsetting to me was, here was this young frail man, who was attacked because of his color and was thought to be a Muslim. To see him in that state with his injuries was enough to stir you. It is appalling that it has been 2 years since Sept 11 and these things are still happening”. Rajini Srikanth who had also come in support of the rally was glad that the young voice of Molly Agarwal, a graduate student of U Mass Amherst was heard. Molly made a powerful statement of how the attack was a symptom of the larger context of how browns were being targeted of late, from real life incidents to even movies for instance. She felt that the Media has been silent on these issues and there has been a slow erosion of civil liberties. “It is time we take back the night,take back the streets and demand a democracy free of deportation and unchecked aggression", she said.

UMass Dartmouth created an aid fund to help the student who was seriously injured in what police have characterized as a hate crime. In a statement issued by the Chancellor of U Mass, “We are outraged that such a hideous and monstrous attack could be inflicted upon a peaceful member of our campus community. We renounce this and all hate crimes with unanimous and unequivocal concurrence”.

It is ironic that for the third consecutive year, the city of New Bedford recently received designation as a "No Place for Hate Community" by the New England office of the Anti-Defamation League.

Flashback – December 2002. Three students from U Mass, Lowell were beaten in the university parking lot. All the time the assailants were verbally abusing the Indian students mentioning Osama Bin Laden’s name.

It was only as early as last week, that the IAFPE and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) pledged support to the Mayor Rita Mercier as she issued a proclamation declaring Lowell a “No Place for Hate” city. She hoped that every single person would feel welcome in Lowell and that Lowell will rightly be called the destination city for many immigrants. Lowell, she said was ‘like a fabric weaved together just like its mills and museums'.

Ravi Sakhuja of IAFPE, said “we realize that hate crimes against Indian Americans is a crime against one another. “The situation is serious”, he said , " Since 9/11 hate crimes are up 1700% nationwide, according to FBI statistics. We must be proactive.” Calling the city a mosaic which is strengthened by its diversity, he said “our game plan is to work with all communities”. Vanita Shastri, President IAFPE, said “the partnership with our work has not stopped here and citing the instance of the assault of an Indian UMass student, she said. “We will keep on going. It all begins with Education and Awareness".

Chandrika Sharma,who has been actively involved with the the students applauded the good work and was glad that forums such as these help in support and awareness. Held in the offices of Congressman Meehan and later at City Hall , the meeting was attended by nearly 40 community leaders including representatives from offices of Cong Meehan (Patrick Cook), Sen.Kerry (Roger Lau), State Sen. Panagiotakos (D.J. Corcoran) as well as from U mass., Lowell Police, Race Relations Council, Lowell High, Middlesex Community College, Lowell Park System etc.Robert Lau read out a statement from Senator Kerry applauding the forum for the good work and called it inspirational.

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